Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Julia Shining tries to follow Malathaat with Alabama win
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Julia Shining, away from the races since April, will most likely make her next start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, as she tries to emulate what her big sister Malathaat did two years ago.
Trainer Todd Pletcher basically confirmed Julia Shining’s participation in the Alabama after she worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Saturday morning over the main track. She worked in company with the maiden-winning 3-year-old colt Abadin.
“I was pleased with her work today, had a brief conversation with the Stonestreet people, and we’re leaning towards the Alabama assuming everything is in good order,” Pletcher said.
In 2021, Malathaat – like Julia Shining a daughter of Curlin out of the mare Dreaming of Julia and trained by Pletcher– won the Alabama after getting upset in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.
Malathaat also had victories in the Grade 1 Ashland and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on her résumé entering the Alabama, as she would eventually be named 3-year-old filly champion.
Julia Shining has not achieved as much nor has she had as smooth a path to the Alabama as her sister. After she finished third in the Ashland at Keeneland in April, Julia Shining was on the outside looking in for the Kentucky Oaks. She was two-deep on the also-eligible list and did not draw into the race.
Julia Shining was under consideration for the BlackEyed Susan at Pimlico two weeks later, but suffered a setback that caused her to spend some time at Stonestreet Farm in Kentucky.
Saturday’s work was Julia Shining’s sixth since June 30. The allure of running Julia Shining 1 1/4 miles is what makes the Alabama attractive to Pletcher.
“I believe the mile and a quarter is something she’ll appreciate,” he said. “There’s no other option for 3-year-old fillies on the dirt to get to do that. In a perfect world, we would have had a race in between the Ashland and now, but she seems very fit and happy at the moment.”
Luis Saez, who worked Julia Shining, will ride her in the Alabama.
Pletcher said Gambling Girl, who worked a half-mile in 50.22 seconds on Saturday, and Chocolate Gelato are both possible for the Alabama as well.
Wet Paint, the narrow winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks winner here July 22, worked five furlongs in 1:02.50 on Saturday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the Alabama.
Working in company with recent allowance winner Slip Mahoney, Wet Paint, with Flavien Prat aboard, went in splits of 13.47 seconds, 25.75, 49.87, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.97 and seven furlongs in 1:28.97. Slip Mahoney is being considered for the $250,000 St. Louis Derby at FanDuel Sportsbook and Horseracing on Aug. 26, trainer Brad Cox said.
“Broke off a little slow, but quickened well down the lane, nice gallop-out,” Cox said. “We were looking to put some air in her having to go a mile and a quarter next week. I feel very confident where we are that she’ll run her race off of what we’ve seen since the Coaching Club.”
Sacred Wish, who came within a neck of Wet Paint in the CCA Oaks, worked five furlongs in 1:01.31 over the main track Saturday morning with John Velazquez aboard.
Trainer George Weaver said that Sacred Wish will run back in the Alabama.
“She’s got a nice race over the track already, stay home and run where she trains,” Weaver
said. “She worked real well this morning, we’ll take our chances.”
Matareya, Verifying please Cox
Two-time Grade 1 winner Matareya worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.50 seconds Saturday morning over the Oklahoma training track as she prepares for a start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap here Aug. 26.
Matareya, coming off a thirdplace finish in the Chicago Handicap on June 24 at Ellis Park, got her last quarter in 23.47 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.78 and seven furlongs in 1:26.03.
Trainer Brad Cox said the work reminded him of how Matareya breezed prior to her victory in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
“Leading up to Churchill she was training as well as she could train and that’s what I saw this morning,” Cox said. “We saw a very good version of her this morning. Usually when she works like that, she’s set up for a big effort. She’s going to need it.”
Verifying, the Indiana Derby winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 over the Oklahoma training track in company with Dazzling Blue, runner-up last out in the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont Park.
Verifying is pointing to the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Aug. 26. Dazzling Blue could be a candidate for the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress Stakes on Sept. 2.
“They were both very, very good,” Cox said. “Verifying, he doesn’t always have to work well, he can be on and off, but he’s on right now.”
Deterministic impresses
The 2-year-old colt Deterministic made an eye-catching debut Saturday, overcoming a slow start and a wide trip to win a seven-furlong dirt maiden race by a half-length over Hurricane Nelson.
Deterministic is a 2-year-old son of Liam’s Map whose deep female family pedigree suggests he would be a turf horse. His family includes graded stakeswinning mares Aquilegia and Amelia.
“He trained well on dirt for us, so I’m delighted that he ran as well as he did yesterday,” trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.
Clement said Deterministic worked behind horses in the morning so when he broke slow and took ample dirt in his face, Clement wasn’t concerned.
“We knew he wasn’t going to be green in the race; he wasn’t,” Clement said.
Clement added that Deterministic was ready to run two weeks earlier, but didn’t due to a cough.
Deterministic is owned in part by Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable. Clement said it is his first horse for them in about 15 years. Clement said he has no immediate plans for Deterministic, who earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying this at the moment, no need to rush to make any plan,” he said.
◗ Secret Oath, the 2022 Kentucky Oaks winner, drilled five furlongs in 58.74 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. She is preparing for the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes here Aug. 25.